1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flashlight, more particularly to a flashlight that has an improved electrical conductor unit disposed between a conductive barrel body and a lamp unit so as to provide effective electrical connection therebetween.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional flashlight is shown to include a conductive barrel body 1 with front and rear end portions 10,11, a light bulb assembly 2 mounted on the front end portion 10, and a switch device 3 mounted on the rear end portion 11.
As illustrated, the conductive barrel body 1 defines a battery accommodating space 100 that extends in the axial direction between the front and rear end portions 10,11 and that is adapted to accommodate a battery unit 12 therein.
The switch device 3 includes a rear sleeve member 31 mounted threadedly on the rear end portion 11 of the conductive barrel body 1, and a push unit 33 with a dielectric outer sheath disposed inside the rear sleeve member 31. A biasing member 333 establishes connection between a first end of the push unit 33 and an electrode of the battery unit 12. The push unit 33 has a conductive radial outward projection 331 normally spaced apart from an end face 13 of the rear end portion 11 of the barrel body 1 in the axial direction, and a second end 335 that extends outwardly of the rear sleeve member 31 in the axial direction.
The light bulb assembly 2 includes a front sleeve member 21 sleeved threadedly on the front end portion 10 of the barrel body 1, a light bulb seat 23 disposed inside the front sleeve member 21, a reflector cap 25 mounted threadedly on the front sleeve member 21, and a light reflector 235 disposed inside the reflector cap 25 and in electrical contact with the barrel body 1. A biasing member 233 is disposed between the light reflector 235 and the light bulb seat 23, thereby biasing the light bulb seat 23 to contact electrically with another electrode of the battery unit 12 via a coil spring 237. Under such a condition, inward pressing action of the second end 335 of the push unit 33 relative to the rear sleeve member 31 will result in contact between the conductive outward projection 331 and the end face 13 of the rear end portion 11 of the barrel body 1, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the light bulb 236 and the battery unit 12. The reflector cap 25 can be moved relative to the front sleeve member 21 in order to achieve a variable focusing effect. The conductive barrel body 1 is further formed with a radial outward contact 14 adjacent to the front end portion 10 thereof. As such, in case the battery unit 12 is of a rechargeable type, the conventional flashlight can be disposed in the battery charging device 4 (see FIG. 2) so that clamping of the battery unit 12 can commence via the push unit 33 and the contact 14 of the flashlight, and charging terminals 41,43 on the battery charging device 4.
Some of the disadvantages of the aforesaid conventional flashlight are as follows:
(i) Movement of the reflector cap 25 relative to the front sleeve member 21 when varying the focusing effect may result in displacement of the light bulb seat 23, which in turn, affects proper electrical connection between the light bulb 236 and the battery unit 12. In addition, the biasing member 233 may suffer from spring fatigue after long term use, thus leading to eventual poor electrical connection between the light bulb 236 and the battery unit 12.
(ii) The light bulb 236 employed in the aforesaid conventional flashlight is generally a Krypton lamp and requires an electric current flow that is twice the current requirement of an ordinary light bulb. The large current flow can cause the coil spring 237 to melt, and can result in damage to the light reflector 235.
The object of this invention is to provide a flashlight which is clear of the disadvantages mentioned beforehand.
Accordingly, a flashlight of this invention includes a conductive barrel body, a sleeve member, a lamp unit, and an electrical conductor unit. The conductive barrel body has annular front and rear end portions spaced apart from each other in an axial direction, and a battery accommodating space that extends in the axial direction between the front and rear end portions and that is adapted to accommodate a battery unit therein. The sleeve member is mounted co-axially on the front end portion of the barrel body. The lamp unit is disposed in the sleeve member, and includes a lamp seat and a light bulb mounted removably on the lamp seat. The electrical conductor unit is disposed in the sleeve member between the front end portion of the barrel body and the lamp unit. The conductor unit includes a conductive core member having a first end in electrical contact with the light bulb, and a second end to contact electrically a first electrode of the battery unit inside the battery accommodating space. A dielectric core holding block is formed with an axial core mounting hole. The core member is mounted in the core mounting hole of the core holding block. A tubular conductive coupling member has the core holding block received therein, and has a rear section in electrical contact with the front end portion of the barrel body, and a front section in electrical contact with the lamp seat, thereby connecting electrically the barrel body and the lamp seat.